Takahashi gets a confidence boost

Daisuke Takahashi of Japan ended the season on a high note when he won the Men’s event at the 2012 ISU World Team Trophy of Figure skating in Tokyo, Japan, last week, setting a new record Short Program score of 94.00 and a personal best free skating score.

So Takahashi will use Lori Nichol next year. Will he train with Krall too?

You are too naughty!

I see again and again how Takahashi stresses hard work as his way to success. This man is all about work ethic. I remember reading about his worst meltdown owing to his guilt over insufficient training.

He has all the reasons to be pumped up with confidence now. He earned it.

As for being a hard worker, definitely! Look at how he's been coming back from a supposedly career-ending injury. It's taken grueling labor, and he's been willing to put in the time and energy. I love his duels with Patrick (who's also a poster boy for the work ethic). They've certainly made men's skating exciting.

Oh, don't lose your enthusiasm about skating, deedee! The fun is just beginning. Only two years to go until the Olympics. And you play an important role as translator and on-the-scene reporter.

It is a lovely article, isn't it. I agree that the author's understanding of and respect for skating are very commendable. So often in newspapers in the U.S., there isn't a real skating expert, so any skating articles are written by a sports reporter who doesn't really get what's going on in skating. Those articles are so frustrating to read; they always make me want to write a long response to the paper. Fortunately, I now have better sources of skating information: the columns on GoldenSkate and the comments by my fellow fans on this site. It's like a refreshing, ice-cold drink of water after a drought.

I thought his short by David Wilson was really divine, suited him so well.
Here's hoping that they would work again since I don't think Dai will opt out Camerlengo. At least with David, you don't have to worry about cheesy music with just normal choreography which has kinda been Lori's "trends," with the exception of, of course, Carolina's.

I love his duels with Patrick (who's also a poster boy for the work ethic). They've certainly made men's skating exciting.

Their friendly rivalry reminds me of another legendary (but friendly) rivalry-- the Brians. Patrick and Dai have immense respect for one another, speak very highly of one another, and knows that the other won't be resting in the off-season. How exciting it is for us, and what a great example they set for fellow skaters and fans alike!

Their friendly rivalry reminds me of another legendary (but friendly) rivalry-- the Brians. Patrick and Dai have immense respect for one another, speak very highly of one another, and knows that the other won't be resting in the off-season. How exciting it is for us, and what a great example they set for fellow skaters and fans alike!

And thankfully in their case - neither one is going into this head to head in their own country from the Olys... unlike the Battle of the Brians... too much pressure, and Orser still did amazing...

Great article...I love the rivalry between Patrick and Daisuke (though I am always on Daisuke's side). Kind of hoping he doesn't get choreography from Lori Nichol. The article didn't say he was, it just said that he hadn't worked with her before. I can't wait to see what he does next season! Oh, and I wish he could just rest instead of doing those endless shows, but I guess he has to make a living.